Speechless: Part V
by bowtruckle90
Summary: Fifth installment of "Speechless". Rated M for later installments.
1. Chapter 1

Harry was in a bad mood. He did understand that it was impossible for anyone to have told him what was going on, but it still made him angry that he had been left out of the loop. Around midday, while he and everyone else were being forced to help clean the drawing room, Arthur Weasley came into the Black residence. And he brought a visitor.

Ana ran into the drawing room where she was greeted warmly by everyone, but none so warmly as Harry who hugged her for a long time and kissed her cheek. Fabiana had been visiting her grandparents in Russia. They were going to come and visit in England, but after the events of the tournament arranged to have Ana visit them in the far outskirts of Moscow.

Later on, Harry and Ana spoke quietly together. He described how he had been left out of everything and how angry it made him and how Dumbledore just seemed not to trust him. He told her about the dementors in Little Winging and his upcoming hearing. As per usual, she sat and listened, letting him vent his frustrations. Harry didn't return to cleaning that afternoon. He and Ana talked about their summers thus far until dinner time. Ana's grandparents had been lovely, taking her to shows, parties and buying her all kinds of clothes from high end stores. Ana felt lucky to know them, but admitted she felt uncomfortable with their expensive gifts, like it was a slap in her aunt's face if she like them. Harry assured her that he was sure Molly didn't feel that way at all.

The following day Harry left early for his hearing, which in itself was very strange. Not only was he before the entire Wizengamot, which was apparently completely uncalled for, but Dumbledore had come and spoken for him. But the headmaster said not a word, nor did he make eye contact, with Harry after he had been cleared and dismissed. Harry returned feeling baffled and once again angry at Dumbledore. When he returned home there was a general confusion among the adults there as to why he had faced the entire counsel and a rather amusing celebration in the form of a chant and parade in the kitchen by Fred, George and Ginny, after which Harry excused himself to the room he shared with Ron. He retreated too early to hear Ron call after her or Molly say to Arthur, "Something happened while you were gone."

Harry stepped out onto the landing and was about to head for his room when he noticed the door to the one across the hall, where Hermione, Ginny and Ana slept, was open, and inside Ana was sitting on her bed, shoulders hunched and a slight shudder through her body.

"Ana?"

She turned. Her eyes were red and shining. She had been crying. Harry sat beside her and noticed a letter in her hand. It was written in Russian, that was plain, but not being able to read it himself, Harry asked, "What's wrong?"

Ana slipped a separate parchment from beneath the first one. This appeared to be the same letter, written in English. Harry accepted it and scanned the page:

_To Molly and Arthur Weasley,_

_It is our understanding at the Ministry of Russian Magic that your niece, Fabiana Prewett, is the granddaughter of Marina Korkova and Ivan Korkov. We regret to inform you that last night, August 1, their home caught fire. There were no survivors. Please inform Miss Prewett that there were a few items left to her in their will which will be sent promptly once they have been cleared by our International Affiliations office._

_Sincerest condolences on your loss._

_Andrei Petrov_

Harry's heart sank. She had only discovered that she had grandparents and now they were gone. Ana started signing something but Harry missed it and asked her to repeat. 'Their ministry thinks it was arson. Someone killed them.'

This was not good news. Ana explained that the letters were going to be sent to Dumbledore immediately via an Order member, to be reviewed. There was a distinct likelihood that they were old enemies of Voldemort considering their daughter's involvement with him, and that Voldemort had sent someone to finish them; one of the smaller, quieter items he could accomplish without much notice that had been described Harry's first night in Grimmauld Place.

Harry set aside the letter and pulled Ana into him. She cried silent tears. Harry understood. She had only met the old couple once, and corresponded a handful of times, but those people had been a window into her history, good and bad. They knew the part of her story that was missing, and now they were gone. Any other truths had died with them and her closest blood relatives were gone. She still had the Weasleys, of course, but it wasn't the same. She had always felt like the black sheep. She didn't fit in. With her grandparents, she had.

Harry broke from her and looked into her sad eyes. "It'll be okay," he said, hoping she believed him. She looked up into his eyes with her hazel ones. "It'll be okay," he repeated.

What happened next was not something Harry could have explained. He leaned towards Ana and pressed his lips into hers. He found them to be soft and entirely pleasurable. His stomach seemed to have flip flopped as though he were falling off a very tall building, but it was an exhilarating feeling. But before he lost himself in the feeling he broke away. Ana looked shocked and placed her fingertips to her rosy lips. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Ron shoved his head in the doorway. "Hey, Harry. Ready for a game of exploding snap?"

"Sure."

Ron fetched the deck and returned. While he shuffled, Harry signed to Ana.

'I'm really sorry. That was a mistake. I just panicked.'

'It's okay,' she signed back. 'Actually-'

"You know when you two start flailing like that everyone else is outside the loop." Ron scowled, annoyed, and dealt the cards. Ana had wanted to express how long she had been waiting for something to happen to tell her it was okay to say what she was feeling about Harry, but after her cousin interrupted she lost her nerve to say anything. And so they played Exploding Snap for the remainder of the afternoon without any mention of what had just occurred in that bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry and Ana reported for detention in Umbridge's office. They had received their sentences for speaking about the return of Voldemort in her class. Actually it was Harry who had been speaking, Ana received her punishment for walking out of class after Harry had been sent away. After being briefed on their tasks, they got to it. Harry had received lines. And while he pretended to be immersed in his task, he listened to Umbridge at Ana's desk across the room. She had slapped a file down on top of it before her and said, "You will read through this. When you finish it you will read it again. On the last day this week you will write twelve inches detailing how justice was served in the sentence of the case." She looked toward Harry. "I don't hear any quill scratching Mr. Potter."

Harry started writing and soon realized why she had wanted him to use her 'special' quill. It was writing without ink, and the color of the lettering was appearing in bright red. A stinging began on his hand and Harry watched in horror while the words he had written on the parchment now appeared on his hand, etching into the skin. The ink that the words were appearing in was blood. His blood. When he could he looked over at Ana. She hadn't stopped crying since the detention began. After they had been dismissed, Ana told him the file was a copy of her mother's arrest records, trial transcripts, and sentencing order from thirteen years before.


	3. Chapter 3

The meeting of Dumbledore's Army were a huge success. There were more than a dozen members and no one ever missed a session. Like Hermione, they all were of the opinion that Umbridge was crippling them by neglecting to allow them to conjure in class, leaving everything to theory. Ana could not have been more proud of the leadership Harry had displayed. Even she was getting better at spells she had mastered long before, firing with more accuracy and more power. But there was one thing she could not smile about when they were in meetings: Harry hardly ever took his eyes off Cho when they would practice spells as a group. He gave her extra help, more attention. Granted she needed it. Smart as she was she was not a good defensive spell caster. Still, it bothered Ana more than she could have described.

It was the final meeting before the holidays and Harry was addressing everyone before they left. He praised their progress and dismissed them. Cho was standing at the mirror they kept photos on; pictures of people who had been affected by the doings of Voldemort before. She was staring at a photo of Cedric. Harry waved off Hermione, Ron, and Ana saying he would catch up.

They left and outside the room Ana waved Ron and Hermione on herself. She wanted to wait for Harry. It was always late when they left from the meetings and no one should ever go back to their house alone.

It was several minutes and neither Harry nor Cho had emerged. Ana waited more, but when another several minutes had passed her by, she decided to poke her head inside. What she saw caused her to scurry away with tears in her eyes.

Harry was standing before the mirror with Cho. He was kissing her. And he kissed her far more passionately than he had months ago when he had kissed Ana.

When Ana returned to the common room she rushed by everyone who was there, determined not to be seen. In her dormitory, no one was there. Everyone was down in the common room as classes had finished. She sat on her bed and cried. The tears swelled over her eyelashes and fell onto her cheeks, hands, and robes. To calm herself she picked up a spell book she had been given by the Ministry in Russia. It had been left to her by her grandparents among a few other small items. She flipped mindlessly through the pages, scanning the various charms and spells. When she came to the potions she read more fervently. Potions came easy to her. Wands were not a requirement.

She came across one recipe that intrigued her, piqued her interest in the most peculiar way. It did not bear a name, only a heading that read For Those Who Wish to Escape Pain.

Ana read on. So much was the pain she was feeling now, she would do anything to banish it. The ingredients were something that could be found in any common ingredient kit. Any student might have them. In fact, she had them. And there was no need for flame or cauldron. Merely a glass phial and something with which to measure the limited amount of the various components. Ana promptly wiped her face and set her book aside so she might get up and retrieve her potion making kit from her trunk. Upon returning to the bed she closed her curtains and opened her potions kit. She searched through her vials for the extracts required: hectate, hawthorn, and sage. She took the dropped from its place and a clean, empty vial. A dozen drops each, and three swirls of the uncorked vial before immediately consuming. It was perhaps the simplest potion she had ever seen.

Ana did as instructed and packed away her kit. She replaced it in her trunk and returned to bed. Inside the curtains she undressed herself, slowly, paying attention to how her heart felt. Nothing seemed to have changed. She pushed her school robes to the edge of the bed and slipped into her pajama pants and a grey tee shirt. Something was happening to her. But it was not in her heart. It wasn't anywhere specific. She felt tired, almost sluggish, and very lightheaded. It was as though she was fading, she felt. Like she was becoming as ghostly as Professor Binns.

The feeling continued so she lay herself down among her fluffy pillows and closed her eyes. The door opened and Hermione came in saying excitedly, "You will never guess what just happened." The curtains were opened, Ana could hear, but she could not open her eyes to see her friend. Her eyelids felt too heavy. A second after they had opened, the curtains closed again and Ana could hear Hermione say, "I'll tell her tomorrow."

Ana wanted to call to her. Something was very wrong. But her voice would not obey her will. She could not move. Something was very wrong. But there was nothing she could do.

Ana did finally awake to someone stroking her hair. She was able to open her eyes. When she did, she saw her cousin Bill sitting in a chair. Ana was in a bed not her own. She wasn't even in the school anymore.

She laid her hand over his, stopping it mid stroke and shook it. The man looked up from where his chin was resting on his chest and gazed upon Ana with a relieved sigh. He leaned in closer and smiled wearily.

'What happened?' Ana asked, thankful that Bill was the only person in the family aside from Aunt Molly and Uncle Arthur who had mastered wizarding standard sign language to have a conversation.

"You tell me," Bill answered. "You're in St. Mungos. The healers said there was a mixture of herbs in your system that almost killed you. They said no one from Britain would have known how to mix them like that. What did you take?"

Ana was highly embarrassed. She could feel a blush spread over her face as she answered. 'It was hawthorn, hectate and sage. I put twelve drops of each elixir in a vial, swirled it three times and drank."

"Where did you learn that?"

'It was in the book my grandparents left me. There was no name on the recipe, only a heading. It said it was to ease pain.' She hesitated before continuing. 'I…had just seen Harry kiss another girl. I felt like my heart was going to break. I just wanted to pain to go away.'

"I think the writer of that potion meant for it to be a potion for suicide, Ana." He paused for a moment. "There's something else. Dad's here. He got hurt doing work for the order. Got bit by a snake. The healers are doing everything they can and Mom's with him now." He stood up. "The healers said you can go home as soon as you were awake. We'll be staying at headquarters for Christmas. Get yourself up and we'll check you out."

They didn't speak much on the way to Grimmauld Place. Ana felt as though there was more to say, but that Bill was holding back. When they were standing before the door, Bill let her inside and was gone before he had even said goodbye, on his way back to the hospital to be with Molly. So Ana walked into the sitting room alone. When she did everyone was there. Her cousins, Harry and Sirius. She received hugs from everyone and Harry translated what Ana told them happened (which of course was not the truth. She said that the healers though it was some contents of a jar she had touched gathering ingredients in potions class earlier that day. Some elixir that had gone bad, probably.)

When everyone had settled once again into their somber states, worrying over their father, Harry pulled Ana aside. He told her what he had experienced, seeing the attack on Arthur through the eyes of the snake. 'I don't think it was a dream, or a premonition. I was there, somehow,' he signed so no one would be able to interlope. 'I feel terrible.'

Ana reached up and stroked Harry's cheek. He was frightened. Worried that he was losing his mind or else some evil streak in him was coming through after all these years. Either way, he was convinced he had been the cause of what happened to Arthur, and had taken no great amount of time to start blaming himself. Ana pulled Harry into a strong embrace. Or as strong as she could give, as she still felt a little weak. He melted into it as she always imagine it would be. But in the back of her mind all Ana could see was what she came across in the room of requirement. The scene she had stumbled on. As Harry moved away and slid himself down the length of the sofa so as to rest his head in her lap, Ana reminded herself that she was not Cho Chang, and she never would be. She made a silent promise to herself that she could never reveal her feelings to Harry. She wasn't who he wanted. Wasn't the one who would make him happy. And in the end that was all she really wanted for him: to be happy. Even if it wasn't with her. So she would remain silent. Not a difficult task. Ana had been the silent type her whole life.


	4. Chapter 4

'I heard you finally asked Cho to go on a date. Hogmeade?'

Ana and Harry were walking from the owlry. Harry had sent a letter with Headwig to Remus' house for Sirius, to be brought to Grimmauld Place in due time, since the personal owls were finding themselves under attack still. Hermione and Ron had declined to go. Well actually it was really Hermione, as she was attempting to make Ron fix his most recent Herbology paper.

So it was only Harry and Ana, which meant he could talk freely, sans the hands. "Yeah well…it just kind of happened. Anyway, it's what I've been waiting for. I'm excited." His tone was so dull Ana gave him a stern look. "Really." Harry tried to sound more convincing, but eh obviously wasn't fooling anyone. Truthfully he was extremely nervous. She had been crying all during their romantic encounter and Harry was nervous that she would cry again for some reason. He wasn't good with tears. At least not with most people. Hermione crying made him uncomfortable, obviously so did Cho. But Ana had cried in his presence before and all Harry ever felt in those moments was a need to comfort. It didn't come awkwardly as it always did with other people. Something about it being Ana made it easy.

They made it back in enough time to meet up with the groups setting off for the town. Ana was not really in the mood. Hogsmeade wasn't very big and she was sure to see Harry and Cho everywhere, so she waved goodbye, wished him luck and headed back to the castle. Once inside the common room, Ana pulled off her coat and gloves and tossed them on the floor, glad that everyone was gone but the first and second years who would no doubt be watching the departure out their windows before venturing out onto the snow covered grounds for winter fun and frolic. Ana on the other hand had a lot on her mind.

She thought about the first time she had seen him, back in their first year. He had stood up to Draco Malfoy for her, become her friend, took it upon himself to understand her and helped make her life easier at school. In return she kept him safe from the fire that could have swallowed him whole in the stone chambers beneath the school which used to house the protections for the Sorcerer's Stone. When Ana was petrified, Harry worked twice as hard as ever to figure the puzzle out. She had heard from Ron that he would disappear at night sometimes and sit with her in the hospital, at which point she made certain that Harry would receive a very prestigious book on the world's most famous seekers through the ages for his birthday, advanced printing edition, signed. When their teacher, the werewolf Lupin, had come after them in the forest she found a way to call its attention away from him. Later that night, he kept the dementors from sucking her soul (Hermione had been there too, and Sirius, but who was counting?) Harry could have easily left her for dead in the graveyard the previous year and yet he made certain she got back alive, as he had in every task before that. Ana remained awake long after he had fallen asleep that night, waking him from the nightmares. What more could be said. They had a deep friendship that stood on the backbone of give and take. It worked so smoothly, and their bond was strong. Why jeopardize such a wonderful thing for something so unsure? Why did she want more from something that was perfect the way it was?

Because, her brain answered her, she was in love with her best friend. Because of that, a deep connection of understanding wasn't enough anymore. She wanted something to break the rules of this friendship as she knew it. Something unrestrained. Raw.

Lost in thought, Ana drifted to sleep. It felt like it had been hours on hours, but really only had been one when the portrait door closed and Harry stomped in. Ana peeked at her watch before stretching and making room on the couch for Harry to sit, which he did.

'What happened?'

"We went to Madame Puddifoot's. All she talked about was Cedric. And then she started crying. She ran out on me."

Ana frowned. 'Sorry. Guess it wasn't the way you pictured your first date.'

"No. More like my last. With her anyway."

Ana tried not to look too thrilled. In order to hide her enthusiastic grin she hugged him from the side, and buried her face in his neck, all the while feeling so ecstatic her heart would surely burst with pleasure and joy. They stayed that way for a while until Harry suggested he go borrow Ron's chess set and they play a few games.

And this was where Hermione found them in the early afternoon, Ron being dragged by his scarf. Apparently upon learning that Ron had been neglecting her gift of a talking planner, she assumed everyone was slacking on their studies and proposed an early dinner with a group study to follow. Too tired to protest Harry followed. Eager not to let him from her sight, Ana followed. While the boys sulked, Hermione and Ana split the work between the two of them to tutor Ron and Harry. Ana convinced Hermione that the boys would benefit more from having just one person tutoring in the evening, and citing that Harry had Divination to work on and Ron did not, volunteered to be Harry's tutor since Divination was not Hermione's strong suit. Directly following dinner Hermione marched everyone back to the common room and spread the various books, papers, quills and other necessities on the table between the sofas.

Ana quizzed Harry in Herbology and reread his potions homework before moving onto Divination. By the time she had given him her makeshift quiz in astrology, everyone but Hermione had had quite enough for the evening. Ron however, was still farther behind Harry in his school work and he would need far more time to complete Hermione's tasks than Harry. The clock over the mantle chimed softly.

"Harry, what are you looking at?"

Hermione was shaking his shoulder trying to get him to pay attention to his books. Harry, however, had other things on his mind at the moment.

He had been watching Fabiana reading in the squashy armchair near the coffee table where the boys were hard at work, waiting for him to finish her homemade quiz on the constellations. Her curly brown hair was falling messily on her shoulders and framing and her delicate face, features pale and drawn into a pained expression, as though she was reading the very saddest account in the novel that sat nestled in her lap as the crooks of her knees rested over the arm of her chosen perch.

Harry had been watching her crinkle her freckled nose as though attempting to stifle the tears welling in her hazel eyes rimmed on gold. The oversized sweatshirt she wore did nothing to subtract from her attractiveness; on the contrary, it was enhancing her slight frame and delicate fingers as she gently turned a page over between the cloth bound covers.

Hermione was waving her hand before his face.

"What?"

Fabiana looked up, curious.

"What are you daydreaming about Harry? You're supposed to be reviewing your astronomy."

Fabiana smiled, keeping her eyes locked onto Harry's for a moment before relinquishing her gaze and returning to her story.

"Sorry Hermione. I'm just tired. I think I'll quit for tonight."

"But, Harry-"

He merely shook his head and collected his book, faking a yawn before retreating up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. Hermione watched him climb the staircase with an odd expression. "I think maybe he's distracted. You should go and just help him finish his list for tonight upstairs. Otherwise he'll be behind on studying for the rest of the term." Ana nodded and stood, following Harry.

He had just closed the door behind him, relishing the quiet of the empty bedroom. Ron was still downstairs with Hermione, Seamus and Neville were playing Exploding Snap…everyone seemed to be busy at such an early hour. It was only eight after all. Harry started to undress himself, tired from the disappointing day followed by brain rape.

There was an unexpected knock at the door. When Harry turned around, tie undone, shirt unbuttoned, and removed belt in hand, he saw Fabiana enter and quietly close the door behind her.

Harry was about to say something about studying in the morning, but stopped when he saw her face. He scarcely knew what to say to her. Ana was his best friend, and they understood one another like no one else he had ever met. But something in her face was unreadable to him and for the first time, he couldn't even hazard a guess at what she must be thinking.

Ana set her book down on the small table beside the door. She stepped in toward Harry who stood mouth slightly open, trying to think of something to say. Nothing came to mind.

When she got closer, Ana smiled and looked up at him. It used to be they could meet eyes quite easily, but in the past year or so Harry had grown to be almost a foot taller than her. Ana reached out for him and slid one of her small cool hands along his abdomen and taking the edge of his opened shirt. Her other hand snaked up his collarbone to grasp the nap of his neck. Harry felt himself being gently pulled down to her level. As his lips met hers, Ana pulled him into her, and he could feel the warmth of her body through her sweater. The sensation of the soft skin of her lips grazing his own caused him to shiver. Harry recalled the kiss he had apologized for all those months ago. Now he saw her reaction for what it was: not only shock, but pure joy. Without thinking much about what he was doing, Harry let the belt drop from his hand and instead busied his fingers with locks of Ana's hair, weaving them in amongst the mahogany waves as though they were a silky sea made of chocolate.

He was all but lost in her sweetness, and somehow Harry found himself laying on his bed, Ana alongside him resting her head on his chest and curling her body in towards him. He toyed with her sea of curls splayed across his chest, feeling like silk where his skin was exposed from the edges of his shirt falling open, eyes gently closed, reminiscing on the scene he had just found himself in. Ana was the second girl he had ever kissed; the second girl to have kissed him. Something about her was so inherently different from Cho. When Cho had pressed into him before Christmas in that intimate way it had been an insistent feeling. It felt tense and desperate and left Harry feeling confused and jittery. This was different. This had been something that felt so easy, so natural. Nothing at all felt fearful or unsure.

Harry wasn't sure how long they had been there, but he did hear the door open. Ron had started talking the moment it was ajar. "Blimey, you know I wouldn't have a prayer in these exams without her, but Hermione is driving me nuts."

Ron stopped. Harry couldn't tell what was going on. Fabiana was Ron's cousin; he could only imagine what the scene Ron had walked in on would inspire in his friend. So Harry opted to feign sleep.

Footsteps came close to the bed and Harry felt a small jostling as Ron shook Ana awake. "You should go," Harry heard him say. The weight that had fit so comfortably beside him lifted and like an apparition she was gone, the door clicking shut softly behind her. Harry pretended to come out of a deep sleep, stretching and looking confused.

"Where's Ana?" he asked.

"I don't know," Ron answered. And that was all he said. Harry's concerns were confirmed; Ron had not taken the vision of Ana sharing a bed with Harry very well at all. Ron might not be a genius, but likely he had guessed what could have possibly happened. Harry got into his pajamas as quickly as possible and returned to his bed, laying down to face the door, his back to his friend, hand grazing over the warm spot where Ana had retreated from minutes before and smelling the pleasant aroma of her hair on his pillow. As the lights dimmed and Ron made his own journey towards a good night's sleep, Harry noted that the book Ana had been reading was still sitting upon the table near the door. He smiled, imagining how their hands would touch lightly the next morning when he returned it to her.


	5. Chapter 5

Harry flopped down heavily on the couch in the common room following the fantastic display Fred and George had exhibited in part to help him speak to Sirius through the fireplace in Umbridge's office. He was happy for Fred and George but what he had learned about his father in his final occlumency session with Snape. Sirius had confirmed that instances like the one Harry had witnessed were commonplace in those days. It made him feel disappointed in his father, and he hated that.

Ana sat next to the couch and rested her chin on the seat cushion where Harry's torso was resting, tilting so her cheek sat on her hand. With her free hand she signed to him, 'What did he say?'

Harry sighed and because there were others around he signed back. 'That things like what I saw were normal back then. He said they were all idiots when they were kids.'

'Well you can understand that. We've done stupid things before. Still do.'

Harry nodded. 'But nothing like that. It was…mean.'

Ana nudged him to move over and pulled herself up to the couch with him, letting him rest his head on her chest. Her chin sat on the crown of Harry's head and she stroked his hair softly.

"Thanks, Ana." He turned his head just enough to kiss her neck before settling in again.

Her hands were tied up, but Ana squeezed him to let him know she heard.


	6. Chapter 6

They were trapped. Death Eaters had chased them until they found themselves surrounded in the room with a veiled archway. Hermione, Ron, Luna, Ginny, and Neville were all captured and being held at the edges of the room each by a different masked figure. Ana had been taken herself, and Malfoy was holding fast to her as he cornered Harry, who was holding the prophesy tight in his hand. "Hand it over, Potter, and your friends will go free."

Ana shook her head violently at Harry. Her hands were plastered by her side so she could not communicate. However, Malfoy pressed his wand hard to her throat. "Make your choice Potter."

"Just don't hurt her." Harry was scared. He tried to keep from trembling, but he felt certain by the smile on Malfoy's lips that he was visibly shaken by the threat of Ana in danger.

Malfoy didn't have much chance to answer because members of the order swooped in and freed everyone. Harry dropped the prophesy and it smashed before Malfoy could catch it.

The fight that ensued was confusing. Harry dragged Ana to her feet when she had been dropped as Malfoy dove for the orb, and they stood back to back near Sirius shooting curses and trying to take down the Death Eaters.

Harry was not able to think very clearly, and it became very difficult to keep up with everything going on. He did however notice when Sirius stopped dead. His wands dropped to the ground. Without warning he fell backwards through the arch and disappeared.

Ana watched as Harry's expression turned to horror. When he tried to bolt for the arch she grabbed onto him and held fast, but he was so much taller and stronger, Remus had to help. "He's gone," Remus said. "There's nothing we can do, he's gone."

Harry protested, but there was nothing for it. Sirius was gone. And he was never going to come back. And that was the thought that caused Harry to flee the scene and go after the person who had killed his godfather: Bellatrix Lestrange.

Ana was unable to call after him, but she did follow him. Out of the veil room there were other doors, and all of them were open. Which one had they gone through? Ana stopped and listened. It wasn't entirely quiet; there was still some commotion behind her, but she listened intently all the same. Through the door to her immediate left there was the sound of the elevators. She ran to them and watched as the only one moving reached the ground floor. She pressed the up button over and over, impatient with the slow speed with which the elevator car was coming back down. When it finally did she stepped inside and pushed the "G" button.

The doors opened before her and there was Harry, standing over a disarmed Bellatrix, wand aimed. Ana ran for him but before she could reach him, a cloaked figure appeared beside him.

Ana stopped, frozen. It was Voldemort.

Without warning, Harry turned his wand on the wizard. Before he could even get a spell out, Voldemort slapped the wand from his hand. "So weak."

Ana broke her stance and ran as fast as she could into Harry, shielding him with her body. Her own wand was pointed at the dark man, but before he could say anything one of the many fireplaces roared with green flames and out stepped Dumbledore. He strode toward Voldemort, and confidently stated, "It was foolish of your to come here tonight, Tom. The aurors are on their way."

"By which time I shall be gone and you shall be dead."

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Dumbledore stretched his hand towards Harry and Ana causing them to careen away from the curses being flung by both men involved. As they hit the floor, Bellatrix slid into a fireplace and was gone. Harry attempted to get to his feet to follow her but Ana grabbed his hand and dragged him back down behind Dumbledore, who was doing his best in shielding them from the ricochet as they watched Dumbledore and Voldemort locked in combat.

As various spells hit the wall around them bits of marble and stone fell around them. Harry pulled Ana closer to him and shielded her head with his arms. Ana held tightly to Harry, trying to swallow the fearful tears pricking behind her eyes. A fiery snake was created, thwarted by Dumbledore but not before causing considerable damage to the foyer. Dumbledore then charmed all the water from the fountain and encased Voldemort in it. Thinking the worst was over, Harry stood and crept closer to the headmaster only to receive another knockdown from the white haired man. Ana, who had remained where she was crawled over to him and knelt beside him as they continued to watch. She did however, retrieve his wand from where she found it nearby and hand it to him.

An explosion of pure energy caused all the windows to shatter, and Voldemort charmed them to gather and race through the air like a flock of birds, intending to cut Dumbledore to ribbons. The headmaster turned every shard to sand and dust as they came upon him. Following this Harry and Ana stood up behind the headmaster and watched as Voldemort encased himself in dust and disappeared.

Dumbledore was looking around the hall, and Ana watched him intently. She left Harry's side to ask what they should do now, but before she could touch the headmaster's sleeve, Harry collapsed. Ana turned quickly and tried to turn back, but Dumbledore took hold of her and held fast. Harry started to writhe in the sand and his skin stood in pale relief to the blue veins that were at the moment so very prominent. His eyes took on a pallid yellow tone and reflected the evil that had taken a hold of him.

Dumbledore left Ana standing and crouched low. Harry said in a voice not his own, "You've lost old man." His own voice returned as he grunted in pain and flailed slightly. It continued for a time. "Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "It isn't how you are alike. It's how you are not."

The rest of the order and their friends were filing in, looking on at the scene they had come across. Ana felt as though she had to do something but she didn't know what. So she did the only thing she could think of, the one thing she wanted to do most in this moment. She ran past the headmaster and threw herself at Harry, wrapping her arms around his chest and nuzzling her head into his neck. She let her body rest over his and held on tight. It didn't take long to notice that something hurt inside her. it was in her lungs, her heart, her muscles. Her entire body felt as though it were being put through a vice. Still she hung on. She had to.

After a few moments Harry chocked out a few words. "You're the weak one. And you'll never know love. Or friendship. And I feel sorry for you."

The pain Harry had been feeling started had subsided immensely since Ana had started holding him. It was only now that Harry understood why. Ana 's breathing became shallow and labored. She could not scream, but Harry knew if she could have she would. He turned his head to look at her face, contorted in agony before some ungodly power lifted her off him and flung her to the ground beside him. Harry flat on his back, turned his head to where Ana had fallen. With great effort he started to move his hand.

Voldemort, in a solid form again, stood over him. He said with a sneer, "You're a fool, Harry Potter. And you will lose everything."

Harry had not taken his eyes from the unconscious body of Ana. He managed to stretch his arm far enough to stroke her flushed cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered a bit as the sound of fireplaces blazing to life reached his ears. After that there was only blackness.


	7. Chapter 7

Ana woke up to see the hospital wing at the school. It was bright outside, probably mid-morning. Ana sighed and turned her head toward the windows to see Harry standing at the windows. Ana sniffled and Harry turned around and smiled tiredly. Ana sat up in her bed as he approached. Harry sat and signed, 'Are you okay?'

Harry nodded. "I woke up yesterday. Fudge admitted that Voldemort is back."

'That's good.'

For a moment both were silent, not knowing what to say. Ana reached for Harry with puckered lips and eyes closed, but he stopped her. Harry extended his hand and took Ana's. "Listen. I've been thinking. This whole thing, you and me, it' been great. I really like being with you as more than a friend. But what happened at the Ministry…I can't let that happen again."

'Which part?'

"The part where you almost died to save me. Ana, now that everyone knows the truth, things are going to get dangerous. For me and everyone connected to me. Just imagine what Voldemort would do to you if he knew how special you are to me."

Ana looked as though she was about to cry, but she held it together and dropped her chin to her chest. "I'm not saying it's forever," Harry said. "But it's important for me to protect you while Voldemort is out there." Harry raised a hand and signed, 'I love you.'

Ana could have jumped for joy at knowing that Harry felt that way, if he wasn't putting a stop to what they had started.


End file.
